News Release 322

MISSOURI USE OF
RECYLCED CONTENT NEWSPRINT INCREASED IN 2007

Volume 36-322

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JUNE 3, 2008 – Missouri newspapers reported using at least 50 percent recycled content in their newsprint in 2007, reaching the 50 percent goal established in 2000, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.  The 2007 data is up slightly from 49 percent in 2006 but remains lower than the 58 percent high reported in 2004.  The department continues to encourage all newspapers to use recycled content newsprint, which helps reduce energy consumption and conserves raw materials.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, producing recycled paper requires about
60 percent of the energy used to make paper from virgin wood pulp.  Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil and 41,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.  This is enough energy to power the average American home for five months.

“We applaud the newspapers that continue to use recycled content newsprint each year,” said Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers.  “As citizens, businesses and government agencies, we must continue to reduce our environmental impact on carbon energy and water quality.  The efforts of these newspapers do make a positive difference for our environment.”

Under Missouri law, newspapers or publications using newsprint with an average daily, or on day of publication, distribution of 15,000 or more must report the quantity of recycled content newsprint used.  The department begins receiving reports for the previous year’s usage after the first of each year.  For 2007, there were 58 newspaper publications reporting recycled newspaper content to
the department’s Solid Waste Management Program.  Of the 140,122 tons of newsprint used by these newspaper publications, 70,649 tons contained recycled content.  Of the 58 publications,
39 reported they met or exceeded the 50 percent recycled content usage goal.  Of those 39 publications, 25 reported using 100 percent recycled newsprint content.  In 2006, newspapers reported using 49 percent recycled content for their publications, falling just short of the 50 percent goal.  An additional 94 publications notified the department’s Solid Waste Management Program they were exempt from the reporting requirement as their average daily distribution was less than 15,000, or they had no printing to report in 2007.

Some of the larger newspapers listed in the report include the Columbia Daily Tribune using 94 percent recycled content, the Jefferson City News Tribune using 75 percent, the Joplin Globe using 66 percent and St. Louis Post-Dispatch using 64 percent.  Two larger newspapers did not meet the 50 percent minimum of recycled material required.  Those papers included the Kansas City Star using 25 percent and the Springfield News-Leader using only 1 percent.  Both papers indicated there was not an adequate quantity of newsprint available to meet the target recycled content goal available during the reporting period.

A complete report on recycled content newsprint used by Missouri publications is available on the Department of Natural Resources’ Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/rrr/newspaperrecycling.htm. 

For more information on the newspaper recycled content goal, contact Jane Davis with the department’s Solid Waste Management Program at 573-751-5401 or 800-361-4827.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel.  For a complete listing of the department’s upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department’s online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do. 

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